Vacations are good for the body, mind and soul. It’s good to get away. Sometimes, when you step back from daily tasks, you can see more clearly mistakes you have made in the past and areas where you can improve.

Maternity leave is good for this purpose as well.

As a county paper, our main objective is to deliver the news from our communities and the surrounding area. But recently – over the course of the past six weeks – this has been in a manner that calls for much applause and appreciation.

In the absence of the “editor”, Judy Light and Heather Smith have been writing, editing and publishing the Tyler Star News on their own. (For those who may not realize, putting the newspaper together is not an easy task. It takes patience and hours of planning.) And although things are never perfect, we exhale when the front page is clean, pictures are clear and complaints are at a minimum.

We are thankful for the support of the Tyler County communities and the lives behind the stories that we tell. I (Jonay) am thankful for rest, relaxation, clarity and most of all, a wonderful staff that never lets me down.